Official studio version
Down at the water, I held my Marie
She said, "Now Johnny, your love means no more to me"
Than rain in the river
Than rain in the river
In bloody boots, I stood on shallow ground
Her long black hair beneath me falling down
Like rain in the river
Like rain in the river
Last night I put on my jacket and I went for a ride
Smelled the sweet mustard fields, had my Colt at my side
Like rain in the river
The rain in the river
The rain in the river
The rain in the river
Rain in the river
Rain in the river
Rain in the river
Rain in the river
Rain in the river
Rain in the river...
[Fades out]
RAIN IN THE RIVER is a song written by Bruce Springsteen and first released on the Tracks II: The Lost Albums box set in 2025. The above lyrics are for Bruce Springsteen's official studio version of RAIN IN THE RIVER as released in 2025.
The official studio version of RAIN IN THE RIVER was included on the Lost And Found: Selections From The Lost Albums compilation in 2025.
The song first appeared in a 2022 filing at the United States Copyright Office. See the "Copyright Filings" section below form more details.
RAIN IN THE RIVER is the leading single from Tracks II: The Lost Albums, released on 03 Apr 2025 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time (1:00 p.m. GMT) along with the box set's official announcement.
A lyric video for RAIN IN THE RIVER was later released on Bruce Springsteen's YouTube channel, on 07 Apr 2025 at 3:00 a.m. Eastern Time (7:00 a.m. GMT).
In an online statement that accompanied the release of the RAIN IN THE RIVER single, Springsteen wrote in a statement:
"Perfect World... is a record I pieced together from work I had held for this project... I wanted just a little fun, noise, and rock 'n' roll to finish the package."
– BS
RAIN IN THE RIVER was most likely recorded at Stone Hill Studio in Colts Neck, NJ, but the timeline remains unknown. Toby Scott, who parted company with Springsteen in November 2017, is credited as Recording engineer on the track. More likely he was involved in an early demo before other layers instrument and vocal layers were added.
Track credits:
Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar, harmonica, percussion, keyboards, bass
Ron Aniello: drums, organ, banjo
Bruce Springsteen: producer
Ron Aniello: producer, recording engineer
Toby Scott: recording engineer
Rob Lebret: recording engineer
Ross Petersen: recording engineer
Clif Norrell: recording engineer
Chris Lord-Alge: mixing engineer
Ted Jensen: mastering engineer
In 2022, a "Recorded Document" consisting of 539 Bruce Springsteen "musical works" was filed at the United States Copyright Office. The two filings are related to Springsteen's late 2021 deal with Sony Music in which he sold the masters of his entire catalog and the coinciding music publishing rights. They show the transfer of the songs from Bruce Springsteen to Thrill Hill Music LLC and then from Thrill Hill Music LLC to Sony Music Publishing (US) LLC and Asbury Boss LLC. Thrill Hill Music LLC and Asbury Boss LLC are limited liability companies incorporated in September 2021 and October 2021 respectively and likely created for the deal.
Copyright entry #1:
Type of Work: Recorded Document
Document Number: V15007D317
Date of Recordation: 2022-05-13
Entire Copyright Document: V15007 D317 P1-13
Date of Execution: 01Nov21; 01Mar22
Title: 100 Miles From Jackson & 538 other titles; Musical Work.
Notes: Assignment.
Party 1: Bruce Springsteen
Party 2: Thrill Hill Music LLC
Links: List of titles
Names: Springsteen, Bruce | Thrill Hill Music LLC
Copyright entry #2:
Type of Work: Recorded Document
Document Number: V15007D318
Date of Recordation: 2022-05-13
Entire Copyright Document: V15007 D318 P1-14
Date of Execution: 22Nov21; 22Nov21
Title: 100 Miles From Jackson & 538 other titles; Musical Work.
Notes: Exhibit 10.1 Assignment
Party 1: Thrill Hill Music LLC
Party 2: Sony Music Publishing (US) LLC; Asbury Boss, LLC
Links: List of titles
Names: Thrill Hill Music LLC | Sony Music Publishing (US) LLC | Asbury Boss, LLC
Tracks II: The Lost Albums is Bruce Springsteen's follow-up to his 1998 box set Tracks, released on 27 Jun 2025. The box set consists of seven "lost albums" recoded between 1983 and 2018, totaling 83 songs, of which 74 have never been officially released in any form. The seven albums are: L.A. Garage Sessions '83, Streets Of Philadelphia Sessions, Faithless, Somewhere North Of Nashville, Inyo, Twilight Hours, and Perfect World.
Tracks II: The Lost Albums, along with its companion Lost And Found: Selections From The Lost Albums, was officially announced on 03 Apr 2025 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time (1:00 p.m. GMT). The announcement was accompanied by a "trailer" for the upcoming set, posted on Bruce Springsteen's YouTube channel and other online services. The previous day, Springsteen released a teaser on his social media accounts, linking to a new website, lostalbums.net, created for the two upcoming releases.
The box set is available in limited edition as a seven-disc CD set and a nine-disc LP set, as well as digital download and streaming. The physical releases will include original packaging for each of the previously unreleased records, with a 100-page cloth-bound, hardcover book featuring rare archival photos, liner notes on each lost album from essayist Erik Flannigan and a personal introduction on the project from Springsteen himself.
Disc 1: (LA Garage Sessions '83)
Disc 2: (Streets Of Philadelphia Sessions)
Disc 3: (Faithless)
Disc 4: (Somewhere North Of Nashville)
Disc 5: (Inyo)
Disc 6: (Twilight Hours)
Disc 7: (Perfect World)
Side 1: (LA Garage Sessions '83)
Side 2: (LA Garage Sessions '83)
Side 3: (LA Garage Sessions '83)
Side 4: (LA Garage Sessions '83)
Side 5: (Streets Of Philadelphia Sessions)
Side 6: (Streets Of Philadelphia Sessions)
Side 7: (Faithless)
Side 8: (Faithless)
Side 9: (Somewhere North Of Nashville)
Side 10: (Somewhere North Of Nashville)
Side 11: (Inyo)
Side 12: (Inyo)
Side 13: (Twilight Hours)
Side 14: (Twilight Hours)
Side 15: (Twilight Hours)
Side 16: (Twilight Hours)
Side 17: (Perfect World)
Side 18: (Perfect World)
Lost And Found: Selections From The Lost Albums is a curated collection of 20 previously unreleased songs from the Tracks II: The Lost Albums box set, released on 27 Jun 2025.
Lost And Found: Selections From The Lost Albums, along with the Tracks II: The Lost Albums box set, was officially announced on 03 Apr 2025 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time (1:00 p.m. GMT).
The album is available as a one-disc CD album or two-disc LP set, as well as digital download and streaming. The physical releases will include a personal introduction from Springsteen himself.
Side 1:
Side 2:
Side 3:
Side 4:
Bruce Springsteen has never performed RAIN IN THE RIVER live.
As far as it's known, no artist has recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's RAIN IN THE RIVER.
If you have any corrections or additions, please contact me via the below form or by email: .
List of available versions of RAIN IN THE RIVER on this website:
RAIN IN THE RIVER [Official studio version]
